Easy Peasy Steps To Preparing Your Vinyl Flooring

While most people wouldn't think vinyl to be a very contemporary flooring choice, there have been many innovations in vinyl over the last few years. A popular choice for kitchens, this resilient flooring is a versatile, economical option. Vinyl flooring is gaining in popularity once again. Today I would like to welcome Market Timers for a guest post on how to prepare for vinyl flooring. 

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Vinyl flooring provides durable surfacing for high-traffic areas in the home. It’s also a really attractive flooring option for any house. Best of all, it’s easy to install with very little DIY knowledge.

Before installing the vinyl, your subfloor should be in fairly good condition as any irregularities or bumps can cause the vinyl to tear or wear out quickly.

Vinyl can be installed over old vinyl flooring so long as the surface is flat.

What You’ll Need To Prepare The Sub-Floor

• Duct tape
• Scrap vinyl
• Floor patching compound
• Carpenter’s level
• Belt sander
• Paint stirring stick
• Wet-dry vacuum
• Putty knife
• Tape measure
• Medium-grit sandpaper
• Drill and screwdriver bits
• ¼ inch plywood
• Circular saw
• 1 inch deck screws
• Household floor cleaner or dishwashing liquid

Preparing A Concrete Subfloor

1. First, check the floor for any moisture. To do this, tape a 3-foot square piece of scrap vinyl to the concrete with a piece of duct tape. Seal the edges really tight and leave the vinyl for 72 hours. Pull the tape up, and if it releases easily that means that the floor is too damp for vinyl flooring.
2. If the floor is suitable, clean the surface with a wet-dry vacuum cleaner to get rid of any dust and debris.
3. Pass the carpenter’s level across the concrete floor surface to make sure the floor is level. Mark off any high or low spots.
4. Open up the ready-to-use floor patching compound, and stir it well with a paint stirring stick. Fill any low patches on the floor with the compound using a putty knife. Next, feather the edges of the patch so that it blends with the rest of the concrete floor. Leave the patch to dry for about 20 minutes and then sand rough edges with medium-grit sandpaper. Attach the sandpaper to the belt sander and grind off any high spots on the floor.
5. Clean the floor with the vacuum cleaner once you’re done sanding.

Preparing A Wooden Floor For Vinyl Flooring In Melbourne Or Elsewhere

1. Cut out a ¼ inch piece of plywood or thicker using a circular saw. The piece of wood should fit the entire floor of the room as you want to have a wooden subfloor consisting of two layers of at least an inch thick.
2. Arrange the plywood over the floor so that the joints don’t align with the subfloor. Allow a quarter-inch gap along the walls as well as in between the joints – this is for expansion purposes.  Secure the plywood to the subfloor using 6 inch intervals and 1 inch deck screws along the edges. Make sure you set the screw heads just below the surface.
3. Apply the floor patching compound to the joints as well as over the screw heads and smooth in place. Leave the compound to dry and then sand the rough edges.
4. Clean the floor with the vacuum cleaner to remove dust and debris.

Preparing Vinyl Subflooring

1. Thoroughly clean the old vinyl flooring with normal household cleaner to prepare it for vinyl flooring in Melbourne by Market Timbers. You could also mix a few drops of washing up liquid with water. Rinse the floor well and leave it to dry thoroughly.
2. Apply the floor patching compound, particularly to any old cracks that appear in the old vinyl to create a smoother surface. Leave the compound to dry and then sand away any rough edges with the medium-grit sandpaper.
3. Vacuum any leftover dust and debris from the floor.

Preparing floors for vinyl flooring is as easy as that. But be sure to wear a face mask or even a respirator when you sand wood or concrete subfloors and keep all the windows open for good ventilation when sanding and working with the patching compound.

So get your floors ready today for vinyl flooring in Melbourne or in your homes.

Go Big or Go Home

In case you haven't noticed, of late I have been writing less frequent but longer posts with a lot more pictures. Summer is beautiful but short here in Canada, and we don't get to take the entire season off. So between work, life, travel and cottage, I would rather spend the very limited amount of time I have on quality posts. The number of projects at home has certainly picked up during the warmer months. I also have a grand master plan to transform our cottage, so I will write more about that later. 

Remember this tired-looking pair of Louis XV chairs I picked up months ago? This was the before. 

This was the mockup done up in Photoshop. The leopard fabric choice was a very bold move for me (you know how much I like to play mainstream and safe), so I needed to make sure. 

And I was completely stunned by how gorgeous they turned out! Paint It Like New again did an awesome job painting these chairs in BM Cloud White. I am glad I went with the white frames because, coupled with the leopard fabric, they look softer and more feminine. Fabric via Discounted Designer Fabrics on Etsy. 

They are not in the living room to stay. 

What's better than one brass pineapple? Two of course! Just when I was about to give up on finding a perfect brass pineapple ice bucket at a reasonable price, I came across a Canadian (Ottawa) listing by TwoMoxie on Etsy. Price? Amazing. Condition? Mint. Service? Top notch! I couldn't be happier. Now I am one step closer to finish styling my bar cart. 

On our way back from cottage this Sunday, we made a stop at the HomeSense in Barrie, and picked up this huge gold dot wire bowl. Bungalow Classic was the first to carry it, and it was going for $365 before it was sold out. I must have spotted this very same bowl tens of times but never had the urge to buy it. And I am glad that I did this time. It was in a whitewashed shabby chic finish, so I took a little Rub N Buff action in gold leaf to glitz it up. 

It can be used as a candle holder or fruit bowl, but I think it looks impressive as is so I am not going to adorn it with anything else. 

I made General Tso's Chicken for the first time and I think it turned out great. Patience was the secret sauce. 

Lastly, a spot near our cottage at dusk. There was nothing to see according to Anthony. Exactly. 

Hollywood Regency Credenza

For months I've been in the market for a credenza to be used as a tv/media stand. After swinging between mid century modern and Regency styles, I opted for the latter with the hope that its glitz and glamour would draw the eyes away from the big black (and ugly) electronic box above. Hollywood Regency everything is such a hot commodity these days that they get sold within days on the market - so I didn't have much luck on the local classified sites, or maybe I wasn't on them often enough. 

I came very close to having this one custom made because it has almost everything I wanted: floating platform, Regency style, and over-the-top hardware. I also contemplated hacking this Ikea tv bench, but it was way too short and small for my living room. 

I am a true believer of best things happening when I least expect them. A blogger friend called me last week and showed me this incredible credenza! I immediately emailed the seller but they didn't respond. I thought it was probably long gone and the seller just didn't take down the ad. This was on my mind and it was killing me. A few nights ago just before I went to bed, I decided to email them again one last time. Lo and behold, seconds after I clicked the Sent button the seller replied! I called them the next day to arrange for viewing, and I ended up picking it up from the storage room of a sandwich shop!

So this is my Hollywood Regency Credenza with wood carving gold medallion knobs. It projects a weird olive green undertone under certain lighting, so I am still debating whether to have it painted in a different colour. White? Charcoal grey? I have enough whites and neutrals in my living room, so I am leaning towards leaving it alone or a darker shade. What would you do? 

This is the same credenza Celerie Kemble has in her living room. It was also for sale at Circawho, likely made by Lane circa 1960. 

I picked up this vintage hammered brass vase with rope and tassels at an antique store near our cottage. I am liking how it looks in the picture with the credenza in the backdrop. 

I also found this professionally framed original beach watercolour painting signed W.Hall. So far I still couldn't figure out who the artist was. Was it Walter, Wayne, or Whitney? Or could it be Arthur W. Hall? 

I think it will look great in the front entrance of our cottage, so that's where it's going to go. 

Have a great weekend you all! 

Brass Pineapple and New Art

I don't know about you but I tend to keep a growing list of must-haves. They are mostly antique, vintage, hard to find items, and they are not cheap. That's why some of them continue to stay on the list and are not yet in my house. 

Brass pineapple is one of them. It started with my search for a brass pineapple ice bucket for the bar cart. Months later, after going through bidding wars on eBay or having to settle for a less original option, I finally realized that it's the shape of the pineapple I am after, and not so much of me actually going to use it as a container. So I opted for this brass pineapple candle holder instead, almost 11" in height in perfect condition with an elegant patina. 

It completes my Regency-themed vestibule. 

This is the Mark Tabbener sketch from our recent London trip. Edmond at YM Art did such a good job at double matting and framing it. 

I am kind of liking it in my bedroom. 

The Eloise print is now in my home office - Anthony insists on these plush buddies keeping me company while I work - did you notice the colour from Miffy's jumpsuit is a perfect match to the Eloise's purse? :) 

This is the vintage brass plaque from the Portobello Road Market. It's now in our laundry room. I will need to take a better picture of it during a sunny day. 

London: Architecture and Landmarks

I must warn you this is a post full of pictures. It is hard to characterize the architectural style in London; after all, it has accumulated its buildings and landmarks over a period of time longer than most other large cities in the world. I am no expert when it comes to architecture - my camera only captured whatever pleased my eyes. 

This is one of my favourite shots from the trip: a park bench, a royal blue lamp post, a tree, overlooking Tower Bridge. 

There are a total of 200 bridges spanning the River Thames between the City of London and Southwark, so one really can't say they've been to London without taking any pictures of the bridges. This is the Millennium Bridge from the Tate Modern perspective. 

Southwark Bridge.

The Golden Jubilee Bridge, Embankment, pylons and deck stays.

Tate Modern and the National Gallery are my two favourite galleries I've been to in London. This is the Turbine Hall inside Tate Modern. 

The Tate Modern Project, a new addition that looks like a spaceship. 

Built in 1881, the National History Museum boasts breathtaking architecture.

Minerals The Vault, inside the Natural History Museum. Love the ceiling moulding. 

The archway inside the Dean's Yard, Westminster Abbey. The Knox College Chapel at University of Toronto looks a lot like a mini replica of the Dean's Yard. 

The Gherkin, from Fenchurch Street. 

The Shard.

The London Eye, hub and spokes. 

Black and gold details of ones of the gates to Buckingham Palace. 

The Victoria Memorial.

The Queen's Guard. 

Big Ben! 

The Notting Hill Bookstore.

The Sherlock Holmes Bar, a few steps from the apartment suite we rented in London, right off Trafalgar Square. It was a super convenient location IMO - we were a couple of minutes away from Charing Cross Station where we could grab a taxi; and within 15 minutes walk to all major attractions. No, we didn't ride the Tube, not even once in London. For shorter distance it was actually cheaper to take a taxi. 

Coach & Horses pub, Soho. 

Red Double-decker is one of the most prominent London icons. We just so happened to run into the "Year of the Bus - The Regent Street Bus Cavalcade" while we were there. It took us on a trip down memory lane by showing us all the double-deckers London had to offer over the years.